This is the second part of my perspective on the 2014 governor's race. Today I focus on GOP candidates Dan Rutherford, the state treasurer; Bill Brady, state senator from Bloomington; and the Democratic candidate, Gov. Pat Quinn of Chicago.

Brady won the 2010 Republican primary, but barely. Just 193 votes separated Brady from state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, who finished second in a six-man field. Brady was the lone downstate candidate, faced by five DuPage County candidates, which probably helped Brady win.

Brady also came extremely close in 2010 to defeating Quinn in November's election. Quinn got nearly 47 percent of the vote; Brady had nearly 46 percent.

I have always thought Brady could have won that year against the "accidental governor," Quinn, who advanced to the top spot only because he was lieutenant governor when Rod Blagojevich was impeached and ousted in 2009.

However, Brady did not campaign with any sense of mission, or much of a platform. I travelled with his campaign one bright, chilly October day in 2010 when polls were showing a tightening race. We started in Galena, where organizers turned out maybe 30 people to hear Brady give a short speech. On the road, we stopped at a lumber yard somewhere in Jo Daviess County because Brady is in the home building business and wanted to check them out.

A rally in Freeport attracted about 200 people, and the main event in Dixon had about 400 because it was organized by Jason Anderson, a former aide to Peter Fitzgerald when he was a U.S. senator.

If you've covered politics for many years and spent any time with a campaign, you pick up the "vibe." Except with Brady's bunch, there was none. He'll have to do a lot better this year in order to finish strong, and he's not the only downstate candidate this time.

The other downstater is Dan Rutherford, the state treasurer. Rutherford, of Pontiac, was a state representative from 1993 to 2003, and a state senator from 2003 to 2011. He was elected to treasurer in 2010.

Throughout his career in the Legislature and as treasurer, Rutherford has attempted to make his name a household one. I have heard him often on Rockford radio talk shows, weighing in on any number of issues. He also has done live TV appearances here.

Rutherford also makes widespread use of social media platforms to publicize himself and has good ratings with conservative organizations such as the Illinois Policy Institute and the National Rifle Association.

Gov. Quinn is the only Democratic candidate, escaping a primary challenge when banker and former White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley dropped out soon after entering the race.

Quinn is a relentless campaigner, and he really believes in what he does. And what he does a lot is to take full advantage of the governor's office to travel widely around the state, disbursing checks for various projects.

Page 2 of 2 - I was all set to travel with his campaign from Chicago to the Fox River Valley, and then to Rockford, when I was informed I would not be spending my day with the candidate. Rather, I would be spending my day with the governor and his official staff, including a State Police driver. In Elgin, Aurora and Rockford, the governor appeared to hand out "River's Edge" grants. There was considerable media coverage and good crowds on hand. Result: A day of free publicity that didn't cost his campaign anything.

Quinn, despite advocating and signing pension reform legislation that is being challenged by state employee unions, still enjoys substantial union support.